178 llEKKY KIEKE WHITENS POEMS. 



Throw off these garments, and in shepherd's weeds, 

 With a small flock, and short suspended reed, 

 To sojourn in the woodland. — Then my thought 

 Draws such gay pictures of ideal bliss, 

 That I could almost err in reason's spite, 

 And trespass on my judgment. 



Such is life : 

 The distant prospect ahva^-s seems more fair, 

 And when attain'd, another still succeeds 

 Far fairer than before, — yet compass'd round 

 With the same dangers, and the same dismay. 

 And we poor pilgrims in this dreary maze, 

 Still discontented, chase the fairy form 

 Of unsubstantial happiness, to find, 

 "When life itself is sinking in the strife, 

 'Tis but an airy bubble and a cheat. 



FRAGMEIN'T. 



Oh ! thou most fatal of Pandora's train, 



Consum]3tion ! silent cheater of the eye ; 

 Thou comest not robed in agonizing pain, 



Xor mark'st thy course with Death's delusive dye, 

 But silent and unnoticed thou dost lie : 



O'er life's soft springs thy venom dost diffuse, 

 And while thou givest new lustre to the eye, 



AVhile o'er the cheek are spread health's ruddy hues, 

 E'en then life's little rest thy cruel power subdues. 

 Oft I've beheld thee in the glow of youth, 



Hid 'neath the blushing roses which there bloomed; 

 And dropt a tear, for then thy cankering tooth 



I knew would never stay, till, all consumed. 

 In the cold vault of death he were entombed. 



But oh ! what sorrow did I feel, as, swift, 



Insidious ravager, I saw thee fly 

 Through fair Lucina's breast of whitest snow, 



Preparing swift her ])assage to the sky. 



